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Offered languages
- English
Three of Lebanon's most compelling attractions — one private half-day from Beirut. This tour covers more ground and more history in six hours than most full-day tours manage in eight, beginning at one of the world's most extraordinary open-air archives of ancient history, descending into one of the most spectacular cave systems on earth, and rising to a mountaintop shrine above the Mediterranean.
Start at the Dog River canyon — where the limestone walls have been carved with victory inscriptions by Egyptian pharaohs, Assyrian kings, Roman emperors, and French generals for over 3,000 years. Then enter Jeita Grotto — a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature, where stalactites and stalagmites tower over you on foot and an underground river carries you silently by boat through chambers of extraordinary natural beauty. End at Harissa — rising 650 metres above the Mediterranean by cable car to the iconic shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. Three worlds, six hours, entirely private.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We pick up travelers from any Hotel, Airbnb or Residence in Beirut.
Itinerary
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Beirut (Pass by)
9:00 AM — Departure from Beirut Your knowledgeable English-speaking driver collects you from your Beirut hotel and heads north — the Dog River canyon is just 20 minutes away, and the story of Lebanon begins before you even arrive at the first stop.
Admission ticket free -
1Commemorative Stelae of Nahr El-Kalb
Dog River inscriptions — 3,000 years of history on one cliff Where the coastal road narrows between the cliffs and the sea at the Dog River canyon, the limestone walls have served as the world's oldest continuously updated archive of military history for over three millennia. Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II carved his victory inscription here in 1274 BC. Assyrian King Esarhaddon followed in 671 BC. Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius added his record. Napoleon's French army marked their passage in the 19th century. And the Lebanese Republic itself continued the tradition — inscribing the withdrawal of Israeli forces and Syrian troops into the same rock face that has been recording conquests and departures since before the birth of Christ. No single stretch of rock in the world records the passage of so many civilisations across so many centuries. Your driver brings each inscription and its story to life.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Jeita Grotto
From the inscribed cliff face above ground, descend into one of the most spectacular cave systems beneath the ground — a UNESCO tentative World Heritage Site and a top-five finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Two interconnected limestone caves stretch 9 kilometres beneath the Lebanese mountains — the upper cave explored on foot through an elevated walkway where stalactites and stalagmites up to 8 metres tall hang and rise in formations built over millions of years. The lower cave is navigated by silent electric boat along an underground river through chambers of unearthly beauty where the silence feels absolute. The contrast between the ancient human inscriptions at the Dog River and the entirely natural formations of Jeita — both carved by time, one by hand and one by water — makes this sequence one of the most thought-provoking in all of Lebanon.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
3
From underground to above the clouds — board the famous Harissa Téléférique at the Jounieh seafront and ride 650 metres above sea level as Jounieh Bay spreads out beneath you and the Lebanese mountain ranges rise ahead. The aerial views on the ascent are among the most photographed in Lebanon — your driver points out the landmarks along the coastline as the cable car climbs.
20 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
4The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon
At the mountaintop, stand before the iconic bronze statue of Our Lady of Lebanon — 8.5 metres tall at 650 metres above the sea, arms outstretched toward the Mediterranean below. One of the most recognisable religious monuments in the Middle East, surrounded by the Maronite Basilica and neighbouring churches that form one of Lebanon's most important Christian pilgrimage sites. From inscribed cliff face to underground cave to mountaintop shrine — a half-day that moves through Lebanon's extraordinary layers of history, nature, and faith.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
Lunch in Jounieh — optional After descending from Harissa by cable car, Jounieh's waterfront is right at your feet — a lively Mediterranean seafront lined with restaurants serving fresh Lebanese mezze and seafood with views over the bay you just rode above. A natural and unhurried way to extend the morning before the short drive back to Beirut. ~1 hr · At own expense · Optional · ~20 min back to Beirut
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
Beirut (Pass by)
Return to Beirut — approx. 3:00–4:00 PM Your driver brings you back along the coastal highway to Beirut with drop-off at your hotel — completing a half-day that packed ancient inscriptions, underground caves, and a mountaintop shrine into six hours entirely at your own pace.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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